Kicking back in Torreveija and on to Alicante

April 11 - 18, 2013

 Torreveija is a bit of an enigma for us. It is without question the very best anchorage on this whole section of the Spanish coast. The marinas are quite good but not needed at all if you’re prepared to anchor off the beach inside the protection of the harbour as we did. From that point of view Torrie is great. However the aging apartment blocks lining the beach are about as ugly as it gets. The area has a huge British expat population which many businesses obviously cater for making authentic Spanish cuisine the exception rather than the rule.

 Despite the town’s aesthetic and cultural challenges, we seem to have a good time whenever we come here. Treading water until Marc was to fly home to the UK for ten days, we had a six night stay this time and really enjoyed ourselves. We set up the Nautic Café/Bar right on the marina waterfront near our anchorage as our local and base due to our previous experience of their friendly service and excellent WiFi. The food was excellent as always and even if we sat for hours on a single coffee with our devices out using their internet, the staff were always happy. They even reserved a table for us to have breakfast in front of the TV watching the Chinese F1 Grand Prix and we also scored an impressive, free Flamenco show one lunchtime.

 

 While in Torrie our house auction at home came and went without a result so we were starting to despair ever selling the place. Our finances were in such a perilous state that we were seriously looking down the barrel of having to pack it all in for a while and return to Australia and the workforce.  Good or bad, we received a low but very solid offer following the auction. The savy couple were looking for a good investment and, providing everything goes through, are buying our rental property for a steal, well more than $100k under our most recent valuation. It was that or we give up and we’re not planning on being quitters anytime soon.



Lurking there in the grey are huge fish farms we needed to dodge.

 On Thursday morning, April 18, we upped anchor and motored through a grey, fog filled morning across glassy seas to the marina at Allicante. It’s from here that Marc was flying back to the UK to fulfil a very important role as the Godfather of his close friends’ son. We reached Allicante in the early afternoon and filled up with diesel at the fuel dock before getting secured for the night. The boat was shouted a thorough, fresh water wash down and then so was her crew as we made the most of the nice hot showers available.



Marc and Karen enjoying sundowners in Alicante Marina with the castle in the background

Then it was sundowners time with a nice wine in the cockpit and Alicante’s amazing castle as a backdrop. We followed that with a lash out dinner at one of the marina front restaurants to celebrate Rob’s upcoming birthday while we could do it together before Marc left and backed up with after dinner drinks at the Coyote bar.

We will be spending the next 12 days while Marc’s away moving along up the Spanish coast with the plan being that we’ll be in Barcelona by the end of the month when he flies back to rejoin us before we head to Menorca and on to Corsica.  Life is good on Alcheringa.

 



Torreveija to Alicanti 26.7 Nautical Miles (All under engine - Bugger)
Average Speed 5.8 Knots Max 7.4 Knots

 

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